A cover letter is a brief letter, generally three to four paragraphs long, that serves as an introduction for your job application or resume. It offers an opportunity to express your interest in an organization and position and demonstrate what you can bring to the company culture and team. It also allows you to expand on the most relevant experience, skills and qualifications in your resume to help position you as an ideal candidate.
A great cover letter represents your personality and your enthusiasm for the job. It is a story that explains your experience and why you are uniquely qualified to meet the needs of the job description. It is a valuable part of a job application that can help persuade recruiters to review your resume in more detail and invite you for a job interview.
Why is a cover letter important?
For job seekers, a cover letter can play a valuable role in making a strong first impression and grabbing the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. Employers may have limited time to review each applicant’s resume in detail. A well-written cover letter can be a difference maker in convincing employers to read your resume in detail and move you to the next phase of the hiring process.
Strong cover letters can indicate both your interest in the position and how you can fulfill the requirements of a specific job. Your cover letter is a chance to demonstrate your skill set, introduce your work experience and leave employers wanting to learn more about you.
Cover letter tips
A strong cover letter can boost the potential of your job application. Consider the following cover letter tips during your writing process to help you put together an effective and well-written piece.
Use a clear and personalized greeting
Begin your cover letter with a professional and appropriate salutation. If you know the hiring manager’s name, you can address the letter directly to them. If not, you can use a greeting like Dear Hiring Manager, and include key details such as the company name, job title and your contact information. This makes it clear which position you’re applying for and shows that you’ve taken the time to tailor your letter for the application.
Related: Cover Letter Template (With Tips and Examples)
Grab attention
The first paragraph of your cover letter should grab the attention of hiring managers or recruiters and encourage them to continue reading. For this reason, your opening paragraph should be strongly written and provide key information about you offer as a candidate. Examples of what to include in a strong opening paragraph include relevant accomplishments, referrals from a mutual connection, an expression of why you are passionate for your work or a belief statement that demonstrates your commitment.
Continue your opening by communicating why you are interested in applying for this position as well as why you believe you are an ideal candidate. Include your specific qualifications, values or characteristics that align with the position and company culture.
Express enthusiasm for the position and organization
Your cover letter should clearly express enthusiasm for both the specific job posting and the organization. A targeted job search that focuses on roles and companies you have a genuine interest in will help your enthusiasm come through naturally. Use the body paragraphs of your letter to highlight why you’re excited about the role, backing up your interest with specific examples that connect your experience to the job.
Reflect your personality
Many companies now use online applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes, which often perform best with a simple, bullet-point format focused on experience and qualifications. This structure can limit how much of your personality you’re able to convey.
That’s where your cover letter comes in. Unlike your resume, which may make use of bullet points, the body paragraphs of your cover letter allow space for storytelling, letting you authentically reflect your personality and demonstrate your written communication skills. Use this opportunity to share specific examples of how your work experience has shaped you into a strong candidate for the specific position. A well-crafted cover letter can also express your values, beliefs and commitment—especially when they align with the organization’s mission.
Highlight your best qualifications
Select one or two of the most relevant skills from your resume and weave them into your cover letter with rich detail and specific examples that explain what you can bring to the company. In addition to role-specific qualifications, consider highlighting transferable skills such as teamwork or collaboration, that are valuable across industries and positions.
Use your qualifications and experience to demonstrate how you’ve contributed to employers in the past and how you are uniquely positioned to support this company’s mission and values. Using your cover letter to expand on your experience, qualifications and specific skills like problem-solving or leadership can help demonstrate how you can help the organization achieve their strategic goals.
Relate the position to your career goals
Use your cover letter to explain how this position supports your overall career goals. Doing so can demonstrate to potential employers that you value the opportunity to gain experience in this position, are committed to a career in the field and are interested in growing within the organization.
When writing your cover letter, explain how the position you’re applying for will be a significant step in your chosen career path and how you believe you can learn from the opportunity. This shows recruiters and hiring managers that you are a worthy investment and increases the likelihood they will take interest in your application.
Include a call to action
Your cover letter is essentially a brief persuasive essay designed to convince recruiters and hiring managers that you are an ideal candidate for the position. When written carefully, your cover letter can inspire recruiters and hiring managers to take action to learn more about you as a candidate for the position. Use the closing paragraph of your cover letter to thank the reader for their time and consideration and include a clear call to action.
For example, you can tell them that you look forward to hearing back from them or to meeting with them to discuss the the opportunity further. This is another way to demonstrate your commitment to the position and to encourage them to see you as part of the next phase of hiring.
Make it unique
Wherever possible, try to tailor each cover letter for the position and company you are applying to, rather than submitting a generic cover letter. Writing a cover letter tailored to the specific position allows you to highlight your most relevant qualifications, values and characteristics. This makes it easier for the hiring manager to quickly see why you’re a strong fit, increasing your chances of standing out from other applicants.
Tailoring your cover letter can also involve researching the company’s website to learn about their specific values and culture. This allows you to highlight how your own values align with the organization’s further demonstrating why you are a worthwhile candidate.
Proofread carefully
Spelling and grammar mistakes can undermine even the strongest cover letter. Always proofread your letter before submitting your job application. If possible, ask someone else to review it too. While there may be no such thing as a perfect cover letter, one that is clean and error-free can help show your professionalism and attention to detail.
